I know this thread is quite old now, but I've been meaning for some time to post some photos of my small collection of Hornby A10s/A3s. This is mainly by way of recognition to the two men whose finishing skills made up for my own modelling deficiencies and allowed me to create these models - namely Mick B of this parish and Steve of Grimy Times Weathering. My aim was to create a fleet of locos as running for a few short months over the summer of 1948, reflecting the variety of livery styles in evidence at that time. I resolved to capture different variations of livery, boiler and tender on each model with no duplications. All of the models are based on period photographs of the prototypes, and are as accurate as I could make them (with the considerable help of Mick and/or Steve), and they represent prototypes from both ends of the ECML. The start point was a small job lot of USA edition Flying Scotsman bodies and Flying Fox chassis and tenders. These were supplemented by some Book Laws, which unfortunately ended up requiring more work to straighten them out and get them looking half decent. Cabs, buffer beams and bucket seats where necessary were taken from Flying Fox or wrecked NRM Scotsman bodies, along with spare lamp irons, cab doors, steps and wind deflectors. All plates are by Fox, and decals are a mix of Fox, HMRS Pressfix and Cambridge Custom Transfers. Chris Parrish of Perseverance Products supplied etchings for the post war middle cylinder inspection hatches which were required for a number of the models.
89 Felstead of King's Cross was the first of the production A3s and the first of my conversions from a USA edition Scotsman. It was also the loco which had gone the longest between general overhauls by the summer of 1948 hence the particularly grimy finish by Steve. Diag 94A boiler and GNR type tender. Shaded characters
37 Hyperion of Haymarket was the first of my Book Law conversions. It has the least bendy running plate, and in replacing the cab I made great efforts to make it even less so, but still asked Steve to provide a heavy weathering to soften the footplate lining which tends to exaggerate the distortions. Apologies if I've done a disservice to the cleaners of Haymarket shed - even in the depths of the immediate post war period! Diag 94HP boiler and GNR tender. Plain gill sans characters
Heaton shed's 92 Fairway is another USA Scotsman conversion, but this time with plain gill sans characters and an NT tender. The prototype was one of the last to receive it's BR number. Renamed, renumbered and weathered by Steve at the same time as Hyperion, and with a similar finish.
The A3 guinea pig Humorist is based on a rather battered return to steam edition of the NRM Flying Scotsman. Mick B added the smoke deflectors and replaced the double chimney with a Graeme King resin unlipped variety. He also (invisibly) repaired some damage to the running plate at the cab end. Humorist presented another problem as by the summer of 1948 it had been renumbered but with non-standard characters. BR finally settled on 10" Gills Sans for both locos and tenders around late July / early August, but Humorist was renumbered in June. After considering a combination of Modelmaster LNER 12" for the cabsides and Fox BR cream 8" for the tender, I agreed with Mick's suggestion of differently sized HMRS Pressfix for both. Strictly speaking the cab numbers should include "curly" sixes and nines, but I think the resulting model looks right and am happy to exercise modellers licence. In deference to Mick's preference for apple green express passenger locos, I agreed to a pristine satin finish.
Four more locos to follow.
. The Hornby website is now showing the estimated arrival date as 7th July. This has changed so many times that I've lost count, but what gives grounds for more hope this time is that what looks the finalized sleeve for the box is being shown: 
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